Spiral gravity-conveyer.



G. H. G. WILLIAMS.

' SPIRAL GRAVITY GONVEYBR.

APPLICATION FILED 001210, 1908.

1,069,049. Patented July 29, 1913.

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I attozmkg- COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO1, WASHINGTON. n. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. C. WILLIAMS, 0]? METUCHEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO OTISELEVATOR COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

SPIRAL GRAVITY-CONVEYER.

noeacis.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE H. C. VVIL- LIAMS,a citizen of the United States, residing at Metuchen, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Spiral Gravity-Conveyers, of which the following is aspecification. I

My invention relates to improvements in spiral gravity conveyers,adapted for use in stores, warehouses, manufacturing establishments andother buildings, for conveying packages, boxes, bags, bales or othermerchandise by gravity from the various floors downward.

More particularly the invention relates to -means for deflecting anddischarging articles from a spiral conveyor at an intermediate floor orfloors.

As shown in the drawings the invention is applied to an open spiralconveyer which as compared with the usual forms of inclosed conveyorsresults in a material economy of space, as well as a less expensiveconstruction and one adapted for use in places where the usual incloscdconveyer could not be employed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of aconveyer embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the sameshowing in section two floors of the building through which the conveyorextends.

It will be understood that the conveyer may be installed in a buildinghaving any number of floors, and may be located in any convenient placein the building consistent with the architectural plan thereof.

The ,conveyer itself comprises a spiral conveying surface and verticallydisposed outer and inner walls or flanges 6 and 7, respectively. Theconveyer may be made of any kind of sheet metal, concrete, or othersuitable material, as may be desired. The outer flange 6 is preferablymade consider ably higher than the inner flange in order to form moreprotection for the packages or other articles which are held bycentrifugal force against this outer wall during their descent. Theconveyer may extend through or between any number of intermediate floors2 and 3 of the building, and at each or any desired number ofintermediate floors is provided with a switch or deflector 13 which mayconsist of a curved sheet iron strip pro- Speoification of LettersPatent.

Application filed October 10, 1908.

lower end of the switch if desired.

Patented July 29, 1913. Serial No. 457,031.

vided with a reinforcing strip 15. The outer end of the switch 13 has aflange 14 adapted to extend through a slot 16 in the outer wall of theconveyer, and is slidable vertically between the angle-iron or guides17, these latter may extend up to the floor immediately above theswitch. A counterweight 18 is connected to the switch 13 by means of arope or cable 19 attached at its ends to the switch and counterweight,and extending over pulleys 20. The counterweight is preferablysubstantially the same weight as the switch 13, so as to hold the latterin position. Then in use the switch 13 is moved down to the positionshown in Fig. 2. Articles descending from an upper floor will then uponreaching the switch 13 be deflected inwardly and pass out through anopening 21 formed by removing a section of the inner flange 7. Theflange 7 at the lower end of the opening 21 forms an abutment for thelower end of the switch. WVhen not in use the switch can be movedupwardly out of the way. Additional guides or flanges si1nilar to theguides 17 may be provided for the The switch 13 may be so locatedbetween any two floors, as, for example, between floors 2 and 3, thatarticles may be delivered at the second floor from an upper storywithout in any way interfering with articles being deposited in theconveyer at the second floor to be carried to a lower floor or the mainshipping room. lVith this arrangement one set of men at the intermediatefloor can be em ployed in receiving goods from the upper floors at thesame time that another set of men are shipping merchandise to the lowerfloor or main shipping room.

It will be understood that the conveyor may be provided with the usualor any suitable form of intake openings at the top or at intermediatefloor landings to receive the articles to be conveyed.

A door 40 is sometimes desirable where large quantities of goods arebeing sent through the conveyer past the opening 21 and there is atendency for boxes, packages, etc., in striking or moving past eachother in their descent to be crowded out through the opening 21. Thedoor 40 may be hinged at either end but preferably at the upper end, asat 41, to the flange 7, and may have the same radius of curvature assaid flange to form a continuation thereof when the door is closed. Anysuitable means may be provided for holding the door in its open andclosed positions, it being held closed when the switch 13 is not in use.

It is obvious that my invention is not limited in its use to carryingpackages, but may be employed to convey almost any kind of material froman upper to a lower floor.

Various modifications of the construction may be made to suit theconveyers for varying conditions found in practice, and numerous changesin the details of construction and arrangement of parts may obviously bemade by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. I wish, therefore, not to be limited to theparticular construction herein disclosed.

Y'Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by etters Patent of theUnited States is 1. In a gravity conveyer, the combination with a spiralconveying surface, of a switch in position to discharge articles fromsaid surface into the interior of the spiral.

2. In a spiral conveyer, the combination of a spiral conveying surface,and a switch movable into and out of operative position to dischargearticles into the interior of the spiral.

3. In a gravity conveyer, the combination with a spiral conveyingsurface, of a switch vertically movable bodily into and out of positionto deflect articles from said surface to the interior of the spiral, anda counterbalance weight connected to the switch and operable to hold theswitch in its lifted position.

4. In a gravity conveyer, the combination with a spiral conveyingsurface, of flanges at the outer and inner edges of said surface, thecontinuity of the inner flange being broken to form a discharge opening,and a switch extending from the outer flange to the inner flange at thelower end of said opening.

5. In a gravity conveyer, the combination with a spiral conveyingsurface, of a switch movable vertically into and out of position todeflect articles from said surface into the interior of the spiral, anda counterbalance Weight connected to the switch.

6. In a gravity conveyer, the combination witha spiral conveyingsurface, of an inner spiral flange therefor provided with an opening,and a door for said opening.

7. In a spiral conveyer, the combination with a spiral conveyingsurface, of a spiral wall or flange extending along the inner edge ofsaid surface and discontinued to form a lateral opening to the conveyingsurface, and a door for said opening hinged to said wall or flange.

8. In a spiral conveyer, the combination with a spiral conveyingsurface, of inner and outer side walls or flanges for said surface, theinner wall being formed with a discharge opening, a switch movable intoand out of position to discharge articles fromthe conveyer through saidopening, and a door movable into and out of position to close saidopening.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

- GEORGE H. C. \VILLIAMS.

lVitnesses:

W. H. BRADY,

L. G. HILLs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

